He reflected on the myriad powers that have come and gone in the Fertile Crescent: Assyrians, Babylonians, Romans, Europeans, Saddam's Baathists.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Many Baathists joined the party to get jobs, such as teaching school.

CNN: Iraq bill allows some Baathists back into government

But there has been little forward movement to push through an oil sharing law, or any legislation to bring former Baathists back into the fold.

NPR: White House Releases Iraq Report

They also announced that former Baathists were plotting a coup.

ECONOMIST: Keeping an eye on the security forces

Nabil Musawi, spokesman for the Iraqi National Congress, the longtime opposition group, said the arrest of Aziz and other top officials would allay fears among Iraqis of a return to rule by the Baathists.

CNN: U.S. hoping Aziz will talk

The powers of America's Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq lasted a year, long enough for America to make egregious errors, such as disbanding the Iraqi army and removing former Baathists, but not long enough to correct them.

ECONOMIST: Irregular warfare: After smart weapons, smart soldiers | The

The bill that passed Iraq's Council of Representatives on Saturday still bars senior Baathist leaders involved in implementing Hussein's oppressive policies from government jobs, but former low-level Baathists not implicated in crimes could take advantage of the change.

CNN: Rice in Iraq to push political reconciliation

Abbas Jaber, who was in the al-Mustafa Mosque when the blast erupted, told CNN in a telephone interview that he blames al Qaeda and Baathists for Friday's attacks, but he also expressed frustration with the Iraqi government and security forces.

CNN: 18 killed as car bombs target Shiite worshipers in Iraq